


Content is Foreign Soil

by shadowkaijin



Category: Kamen Rider - All Media Types, Kamen Rider Zero-One
Genre: (at least by my standards), M/M, Mutual Pining, Roommates, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-10
Updated: 2020-05-10
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:33:26
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,486
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24100633
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shadowkaijin/pseuds/shadowkaijin
Summary: Fuwa needs a place to stay and Aruto glad offers one.
Relationships: Fuwa Isamu/Hiden Aruto
Comments: 10
Kudos: 38





	Content is Foreign Soil

**Author's Note:**

> this took way longer and is way longer than i intended, but i’m proud of it either way. 5k is a lot for me cause i have 0 attention span.
> 
> small shout out to Crescentcure on twitter for being the first person i saw to bring up the idea of fuwaruto being roommates and also Draconianl4w for having the best fuwa takes, they inspired most of his characterization  
> edit: name change cause it’s more appropriate and no one can stop me

"Here's the place," Aruto announced awkwardly, unlocking the door to his apartment. It was fairly small considering his old income but he never felt the need to change his living space after he took over Hiden Intelligence. Now he's glad he didn't, the extra money would help keep the new business alive. 

He walked in and Fuwa followed, dragging a suitcase behind him. "It looks nice," he said, just as stiff. The whole situation was far too strange for both of them. They had been working together for a while, hell now Fuwa _worked_ for Aruto. But living together? That felt like too much too fast. 

Gai Amatsu, being the petty bastard he was, decided if he couldn't have Fuwa and Naki, he would fuck them over in every other way he could. That included somehow getting Fuwa kicked out of his apartment apparently. Aruto was glad to offer up his apartment but he really wasn’t looking forward to the awkwardness. 

"Sorry it's not the cleanest...." Aruto had offered his space on a whim so he hadn't made much preparations. He hadn't thought his living room was that bad but now that he had a guest over it really was in poor condition.

"It's no problem, really. I'm just glad to have a place to stay." Fuwa followed Aruto into the living room, taking a quick look around the place. 

"Do you want some tea or something?" Aruto offered. He'd never really had house guests before but he was trying.

"Don't bother," Fuwa said dryly. He flinched, seeming to notice his own bluntness. "I mean... I'm sure we're both tired. We should go to bed."

Aruto nodded with a small smile. "Yeah, I guess you're right. I can take the couch if you want?" Fuwa huffed and sat himself down on Aruto's couch. 

"Don't be ridiculous. You're already letting me stay at your place, I'm not going to take your bed too."

Aruto felt the urge to insist but he caught himself and just sighed. He really was tired. "Okay, if you're sure. I'll go get some blankets." 

Aruto quickly made his way to the closet in the hallway and shoveled a few blankets and a pillow into his arms before heading back. Fuwa was digging through his things but looked up as Aruto walked back towards him.

"Here you go," he said, setting the pillow and blankets next to Fuwa on the couch. "The bathroom's the first right down the hallway and there's more blankets in the closet if you need them. I'll be in my room if you need anything."

Fuwa looked down at the blankets, running his hand across them lightly. "...Thank you, Hiden. For everything."

Aruto was caught off guard by the softness of his voice. His expression faded into a smile and he felt more sure of his decision to take Fuwa in. "It's no problem. Goodnight, Fuwa."

Fuwa only grunted in response so Aruto figured that was his cue to go. He walked back towards his room, sparing one last look at Fuwa. He was muttering to himself, which could either just be how he is or he could be talking to Naki. Aruto grinned either way, and finally stepped into his own room.

*

Fuwa groaned as he limped back into the apartment. Aruto had his arm wrapped around his side and helped move him towards the couch. He dropped down onto the couch with a huff. 

"Are you alright?" Aruto asked, worried. Fuwa waved him off and adjusted his position, grunting as he moved around.

"Yeah, yeah..." he muttered. "Definitely wasn't my best idea." It was his job to protect humagears, and he did it proudly. But he was definitely going to kill himself with his own recklessness someday. 

"You were amazing out there." Aruto smiled and Fuwa only glowered in response. "Uh, I'll go grab you some ice and then I can cook us some dinner." 

Fuwa was a little curious at the prospect of Aruto cooking. So far they had only stopped at ramen shops after work or brought take-out to the office when they stayed later.

"You cook?" he asked as Aruto returned with his ice pack. He hissed as he held it against the cut on his head. 

"Be careful." Aruto hovered his hands over to help but Fuwa brushed them away. "Yes I can cook. I picked it up pretty easily in high school, it's a useful skill to have."

Fuwa didn't mention that he was seemingly cursed when it came to cooking, usually ending with things being burnt or too dry. He just huffed again and adjusted his ice pack. 

Fuwa watched Aruto walk back to the kitchen before sighing and closing his eyes. His body hurt all over and he was exhausted. Getting his ass kicked really tired him out.

He hadn't even noticed he had fallen asleep until he felt something poking his arm. He rubbed his eyes and cracked them open to see Aruto leaning over him. He was wearing an apron and his hair was more disheveled than usual. Fuwa couldn't help but stare. 

"Sorry for waking you up. Dinner's ready, if you still want some." Fuwa's stomach growled loudly before he even had a chance to answer. Aruto breathed out a laugh before heading back into the kitchen. 

By the time he returned, Fuwa had sat up and half-attempted to make himself presentable. Aruto set two steaming bowls down onto the coffee table. 

"What's this?" Fuwa asked, picking up the chopsticks Aruto had placed down. 

"It’s oyakodon, I was waiting for a chance to make some,” Aruto explained with a grin, wasting no time burying his chopsticks into the bowl and shoveling the contents into his mouth.

Fuwa stared at the bowl. He had to admit, it smelled amazing. He cautiously grabbed a piece of chicken and shoved it into his mouth.

“W-whoa! This is delicious!” Fuwa’s eyes lit up as he started eating more. Aruto laughed and mumbled a thank you, his mouth still full himself. 

They sat together in comfortable silence, both cramming food in their mouth with reckless abandon. Once Fuwa was done, he let himself fall back onto the couch with a content sigh. 

“Damn Hiden, you need to cook more often.” Aruto finished slurping down his broth before leaning back next to Fuwa.

“I’m glad you liked it,” he replied with a chuckle. Fuwa nodded and yawned sluggishly. Aruto looked over at a clock he had on the kitchen counter. “I guess it’s pretty late, huh?” 

Fuwa nodded again, but was caught off guard by Aruto grabbing him by his arm and pulling him up. “Eh? What’re you doing?”

“You’re still hurt Fuwa, you should sleep in my bed tonight.” Fuwa opened his mouth to argue but Aruto cut him off with a glare. “You’ve slept on my couch for at least a week, I can handle it for a night.”

Fuwa stared him down for a moment before grumbling and pulling his arm free. The pain had lessened since his nap but it was still there. “... Fine, whatever.” 

Aruto grinned victoriously and returned to the kitchen to start cleaning up their bowls. Fuwa sighed but he had to admit to himself, sleeping in a bed definitely sounded nice. 

*

“Are you kidding me….” Aruto whined you himself. Fuwa was _still_ in the shower. It had been half an hour, at least! Living with Fuwa had actually been unexpectedly pleasant, but it definitely had its downsides.

Finally, as if on cue, Aruto heard the sound of the shower stop. Fuwa came out a few minutes later in a t-shirt and shorts. He ruffled his wet hair with his towel and looked up to see Aruto.

“Oh, what’s up prez?” 

“Fuwa… Why do you shower for so long,” he asked in an overdramatic, exhausted voice.

“What? I don’t shower for that long,” he answered defensively. Aruto glared at him, obviously not buying it. “Come on, I’m basically showering for two people.”

Just then, Fuwa’s head jerked to the right. “Even I know that’s a ridiculous excuse, Fuwa Isamu.” The tone of voice immediately told Aruto that Naki had stepped in, and it made him laugh. 

Naki smiled shyly, seeming proud of their joke. Their head jerked again and the smile turned to a frown. “Naki-” he groaned, and Aruto laughed again. 

“You don’t have any excuse now!” Aruto was still giggling and he could hear Fuwa grumbling. The next thing he knew, he was getting hit with a damp towel.

“Aahh, Fuwa! Stop, stop!” The attacks were short lived as Aruto moved away from the assault and Fuwa didn’t bother to follow him. 

Fuwa was… kind of smiling? He rarely seemed to smile fully but his mouth was stretched wider than usual. Not quite a smile, but it was definitely something. Aruto felt strangely proud.

“You use my shower and you hit me, some roommate.” Aruto sighed and dramatically collapsed onto the couch. Fuwa huffed and threw his towel at Aruto lazily.

“Too late to kick me out now,” he said simply, sitting down next to Aruto and reaching for the remote. Aruto smiled at him, enjoying the sight of Fuwa in a semi-relaxed environment. He wouldn’t kick Fuwa out if he had to. 

*

Fuwa woke up shaking. He was no stranger to nightmares at this point, but this one was different. He usually remembered them in painful detail but now, there was nothing but the remaining feeling of unknown terror. 

Fuwa gasped involuntarily when he heard the floorboards creak. He wanted to curse himself for being so jumpy. Especially when his eyes finally focused on a shape at the end of the hallway.

"Fuwa?" He froze. As best as he could anyway, with his incessant trembling. It was futile though, and Aruto shuffled closer. "Fuwa? Are you awake?"

"Go back to bed, Hiden," he said, and he almost winced at how severely his voice cracked. All it did was make Aruto move faster.

Aruto sat down next to Fuwa and he instantly shoved him away. He didn't want to, Aruto was his friend now, right? He didn't need to be so angry. He didn't understand why he was losing his cool, but he knew he didn't want to dump all of his problems on Aruto. 

"Fuwa-" He reached a hand out, only for Fuwa to smack it away.

"I'm fine, alright!" he snapped, but tears started building in his eyes anyway. Aruto laid his hand between them, not touching but still an option. 

"You're not fine Fuwa, and that's alright." Fuwa slowly turned to look at Aruto with absolute bewilderment. "It's alright to struggle sometimes. I'll always be here to help you. That's what friends are for, right? Me, Yaiba, Izu... we all care about you. I know it's hard, but it's okay to let us help. You shouldn't have to deal with this on your own." 

Fuwa stared at him, unsure of what to do. Aruto's eyes never left his, always unwilling to abandon someone in need. Fuwa huffed and looked away. 

He didn't see the expression on Aruto's face when he cautiously reached his hand out and laid it over his, and he's glad for that. Fuwa squeezed and his heart swelled embarrassingly when Aruto returned the gesture.

They stayed like that for a while until he finally spoke up again. "I know it's fake... but I still remember it, the Daybreak Incident. I guess that's what's really getting to me. What else could be made up? What other shit could Gai have stuffed in my head? What did I lose?

"Fuwa...." Fuwa felt Aruto's grip tighten. "You shouldn't have to go through this. We'll try everything we can to bring your memories back. And we’ll make Gai pay, I promise.”

Fuwa only nodded, unable to find the right words to say. He didn't know how long they sat like that, holding hands in the dark while he looked away and tried not to get too caught up in the feeling of letting someone in. 

Eventually, Aruto yawned and that caught Fuwa's attention. "You tired?" he asked, finally looking at Aruto again. 

"A-ah no! Well, I mean...." Aruto stuttered and Fuwa chuckled quietly. He moved his hand away from Aruto's to pat him on his back.

"I'm alright now prez, I mean it. It's late, we should both go back to bed." Aruto looked conflicted but his exhaustion was obviously. 

"I guess you're right..." He glanced at Fuwa, like he was scared to leave him alone. Fuwa sighed and lightly shoved him forward, encouraging him to stand.

"We've both got work tomorrow, we definitely need the rest." 

Aruto nodded, finally looking more convinced. "Alright. Goodnight then Fuwa."

"Goodnight, Hiden. See you in the morning." Aruto smiled before returning to his room again. 

When Aruto woke up and stumbled out to the living room, Fuwa was gone. He was worried until he found a note from Fuwa about going on a morning run. He grinned when he saw the can of bean soup placed next to it.

*

Aruto was waiting for Fuwa when he came out of the bathroom in the morning. Fuwa flinched when he spotted him in the early light, and immediately glowered at him.

“Ah, sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you,” Aruto apologized. Fuwa’s expression didn’t change as he moved to the fridge.

“You didn’t _scare_ me,” Fuwa said, grabbing his water bottle. “What are you doing up this early anyway?” 

“Well, I woke up early and I couldn’t go back to sleep. And I know you go on jogs sometimes so…” 

“You wanna tag along or something?” Aruto looked at him hesitantly, half expecting Fuwa to shut him down immediately. Fuwa looked at him for a moment before sighing. “Just keep up, alright?”

Aruto smiled and nodded, following Fuwa out of the apartment. The sun wasn’t up yet but the sky was starting to get brighter in the east. They walked for a bit until they got to the main road. “Ready?” Fuwa asked.

“Yeah!” Aruto was surprised by his own energy. He usually felt drowsy for a while when he woke up, but he was actually feeling pretty invigorated. 

Fuwa nodded before starting to jog at a steady pace, and Aruto tracked after him. He kept up well, moving in time with Fuwa, but after a while he gradually started falling behind. 

Fuwa reached a corner then stopped, looking back at Aruto. He was a couple paces behind him. When he caught up, he hunched over, gripping his knees and breathing deeply. 

“You good?” Fuwa peered down at him. Aruto coughed a bit before standing up straight.

“I’m alright. I’m just… a little winded,” he explained, panting heavily. Fuwa passed him his water bottle and Aruto accepted it gratefully. 

“We should probably head back anyway.” Fuwa stretched, pulling his arm across his chest. Aruto looked straight at the ground, making sure not to stare. 

“Yeah…” Aruto finally caught his breath and they started walking again. Aruto noticed he still had a little trouble keeping up. Even if they were about the same size, maybe Fuwa’s legs were longer? Or maybe he just walked faster naturally, always in a hurry.

“I guess you can’t call down your bike anymore, huh?” Fuwa asked, snapping Aruto out of his thoughts. 

“Oh, yeah. Even when I could, I tried not to. I didn’t want to make any more trouble for Subaru.” He felt like he owed the astronaut, for giving them the extra work and after what happened to Raiden….

“You know Jin will be coming for his brother, right?” Aruto sighed, Fuwa really could read him sometimes. 

“I know. I’m not sure what to do about it. I guess we’ll have to see what Raiden wants,” Aruto answered absentmindedly. He glanced over to Fuwa to see him already looking back at him with an expression he really couldn’t interpret. 

Fuwa really had changed. Aruto imagined that if he said the same thing to Fuwa a few months ago, he might have snapped at him, saying something harsh and awful about Humagears.

But he was different now. He helped Naki and Love-chan realize their own dreams. He fought for humagears dreams like Aruto, _with_ Aruto.

They reached the apartment sooner than he realized. “I’m taking a shower before we head out,” Fuwa said, slipping off his shoes at the door. He walked over to the bathroom before glancing back at Aruto. “I won’t take so long this time.”

Fuwa closed the door before he could see Aruto laugh. Aruto felt like he was beaming, and then he felt something click inside him like a puzzle piece. Like he just realized he was in far too deep.

*

Aruto and Fuwa didn’t like taking days off. It was hard to feel like slacking when your job was so important. But Izu had firmly recommended it once she noticed their state of exhaustion from a particularly rough week. And when Izu tells you to do something, it’s usually smart to do it.

That’s how they found themselves with nothing to do. Aruto laid on the living floor, staring at his ceiling. Fuwa was attempting to read a book he found abandoned at the office, but it really wasn't grabbing his attention.

“What are we supposed to do?” Aruto whined, throwing his hand dramatically against his forehead. Fuwa sighed and shut his book. 

“I don’t know. Do you have any movies or something?” Aruto hummed and sat up, scooting towards his TV. He started digging through one of the drawers of the entertainment center. 

“Oh, have you seen this one?” Aruto asked, holding up a dvd case. Fuwa couldn’t see it well, but it looked like a giant monster destroying a city.

“I don’t think so.” Honestly, it was hard to say. Maybe he had seen it before but it’s not like he could have remembered if he did.

He shoved the negative thoughts from his head as Aruto put the dvd in the player. He seemed more excited at the prospect of actually doing something. “I’ll make some popcorn, do you want anything else?” 

Fuwa shook his head and Aruto got started on his preparations. Fuwa watched him for a bit until he realized how embarrassing it was, especially the idea of getting caught.

He turned back to the screen and watched the previews. They were also movies he didn’t recognize, expect for one that had earned itself a few sequels. 

Aruto returned after a moment with a bowl of freshly popped popcorn. He sat down and held the bowl out to Fuwa. He wordlessly grabbed a few pieces and shoved them in his mouth before reclining into the couch. 

The movie had hardly begun before Aruto started talking. He explained how they did certain shots or other roles an actor had or where the music came from. 

Fuwa felt like he should be annoyed, but he couldn’t bring himself to. Aruto was leaning closer subconsciously and talking a lot with his hands. Aruto was cute. Fuwa almost didn’t want to admit it, but it seemed to slip through his mind with ease.

When the first fight scene with the monster came around, Aruto was finally silent. Fuwa hadn’t kept up with the plot, he had been distracted by other things, but it was still kind of interesting. 

Aruto was still silent after the flashy scene ended. Fuwa glanced over to check on him and was met with a slumbering Aruto. He seemed to have fallen asleep quickly, he was laying in an uncomfortable looking position with his arms crossed across his chest. 

“Man… I guess you really needed this day off…” Fuwa mumbled quietly. He reached over Aruto for the remote, lowering the volume slightly. 

Fuwa continued watching the movie, occasionally eating popcorn, when he was interrupted again. Aruto unconsciously attempted to adjust himself, sending him crashing into Fuwa’s side.

Fuwa jumped, expecting Aruto to wake up. But all he did was mutter to himself before snuggling into Fuwa. Fuwa squirmed, hating the feeling of his face getting warm. What exactly was he supposed to do?

He could push Aruto off but… he didn’t want to, for some reason. No matter how strange or embarrassing the situation was, Aruto was much warmer than him and it felt nice to have him so close. 

Fuwa sighed, absently grabbing some more popcorn. He waited a moment before giving in and leaning gently against Aruto. Aruto exhaled and seemed to curl up more alongside Fuwa. 

Fuwa wasn’t quite sure what he felt. He _liked_ Aruto, he really did. He probably could have moved out a while ago but he didn’t want to, he wanted to stay like they were. The thought was new and frightening but he couldn’t deny it. 

He sighed again, unwillingly noticing how nice Aruto’s hair smelled. Whatever was happening, he was going to try and let it happen. He looked back up at the screen, which was pointless but still something to do beside think about _feelings_.

“Sleep well, prez.”

*

Aruto had never been one to overthink. He tended to see things as they are and not look any deeper. 

But then, with his distressing crush on Fuwa, (and really, it _is_ a crush, maybe it had been for a while) he really couldn’t help it. He noted the different ways Fuwa looked at him, the way he slowly but surely let his guard down around him. He kept track of it all and thought about it until his head hurt.

The biggest thing he was worried about was scaring Fuwa away. They’d gotten so close, and Aruto honestly didn’t know if he could live without him. If he pushed too hard and made him uncomfortable….

Nowadays, Aruto was thankful for exhausting days at work. In a weird way, it calmed him down and cleared his head. All of his thoughts were focused on closing up the office, getting food, and getting home. 

He didn’t have the energy to contemplate why Fuwa stood so close to him, even if there was plenty of room on the sidewalk. Or wonder when he memorized Aruto’s order at the ramen place they stopped at, or how Aruto knew his in the same way. 

They eventually made it back to the apartment. Fuwa sat at the end of the couch, the place that they had mutually deemed “his spot”. Aruto really wasn’t thinking as he followed him.

He wasn’t thinking when he dropped down onto the couch, laying down across it with his head in Fuwa’s lap. It only occurred to him seconds later that maybe that was a bad idea, maybe he should be more careful about pushing Fuwa's physical boundaries. His doubts faded when he felt Fuwa's hand slowly move through his hair. 

"You know... I think I really like this," Aruto said, gazing softly up at Fuwa. Fuwa looked down at him with a questioning expression. 

"Living with you, I mean. I haven't lived with someone for a long time, and it feels like you're really becoming a part of my home." Aruto really wanted to shut up. But something about the low hum of the night, and his hand in his hair, it made him want to let all his feelings out. 

"I don't know, I just like having a safe place to come back to. And after everything you've been through, you deserve a safe place too." Aruto's speech was becoming more clumsy as he struggled to find the right words. "I guess... I just want this to be _our_ place...."

Fuwa's hand stilled and Aruto didn't know if he'd ever felt more nervous. Fuwa's unreadable expression certainly wasn't helping. "You really mean that?" 

Aruto shifted so he was sitting up next to Fuwa on his knees. He tried to stay steady, even though the void where Fuwa's hand had dropped from seemed to grab an unnecessary amount of his attention. 

"I do. Fuwa you're- you're really important to me. And I'm really sorry if I haven't always shown it, I just never knew how you felt about me? And I don't want to make any assumptions, but I think we're a lot closer than we used to be and-"

Aruto's blabbering was cut off by Fuwa suddenly laying his fingers against his cheek. His eyes widened and his jaw snapped shut. Fuwa looked unsure but strangely determined. His hand moved slowly until he was cupping Aruto's face. Aruto couldn't help but lean into the cool touch. 

"Aruto..." He didn't move and he kept on him. His eyebrows furrowed slightly, like he was coming up with a strategy. 

Aruto moved forward on his own accord. Fuwa's eyes moved between his eyes and his mouth. "Fuwa, I- I mean... can I?" Fuwa hummed sharply and that was all the answer Aruto needed.

He moved slowly, wanting to give Fuwa any opportunity to pull away. He didn't.

It wasn't Aruto's first kiss, but in the moment it might as well have been. It was the only kiss he'd ever had that really felt like it mattered. Fuwa was timid when he slowly kissed back, completely different from his personality. It made Aruto lightheaded. 

It wasn't a particularly long kiss. Aruto pulled back, frantically searching Fuwa's eyes for any sigh of regret or even disgust. "Was that okay?" he asked hesitantly. 

Fuwa nodded, his hand feeling slightly unsteady against his face. "Yeah, I-" he grappled with his words before sighing, looking almost embarrassed. "Sorry. I haven't done that before. Or at least, I don't remember ever doing it." 

Aruto smiled sweetly. "Don't worry, it was great." To his surprise, Fuwa matched his smile. Maybe he really did like him. 

Aruto was a chronic fidgeter though, and knowing Fuwa felt the same about him gave him a boost of confidence. He rearranged himself to be more comfortable, which involved leaning against Fuwa’s shoulder. 

“So, does this mean I get to call you Isamu now?” Aruto’s question earned him a confounded look from Fuwa. “What about babe? Sweetheart? Honey? My little-”

“ _Aruto_ ,” Fuwa growled and Aruto couldn’t help but grin even harder. He felt like he was floating, like this was the best ending he could ask for.

“Sorry, sorry,” he apologized halfheartedly. Fuwa grumbled something under his breath before surprising Aruto again by throwing an arm around his shoulder and pulling him closer. 

They sat in silence for a while, Aruto reveling in the feeling of being so close. Fuwa was the one who finally broke the stillness in the room. “So… you want to share this place with me? You want it to be… ours?”

Aruto suddenly felt nervous again, even if he wasn’t sure why. “Of course. You should stay, if you want to.”

Fuwa huffed and pressed his head against Aruto’s. “Of course I want to. There’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> kudos and comments are appreciated!


End file.
